Universal press



D. MEREDIEU Oct, 1, 1929.

UNIVERSAL PRESS w w xx s n M u .FH F H. .w Ww a m ,w m d s d H d Q mm kum. es nu W W kn i Q D m M W61 H7@ H P o E uw r E .W 7M u. x0 O .m- M U 2 l N A H A s n w M wf W 2 0 MH f UNIVERSAL PRESS Filed Aug. 24, 1925 5 Sneets-shebt 2 Oct. 1929. D. MEREDIEU' v 1,730,284

v UNIVERSAL PRESS v Filed Aug, 24, 1925. 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 @ffl 1.)

Patented ct. 1, 1929 maar i DAMIEN MEREDIE, OF ANGOULEME, FRANCE UNIVERSAL PRESS Application filed August 24, 1925, Serial No. 52,249, and in France September 1, 1924.

This invention relates to presses and has for its object the provision of a universal press the relation of whose parts may be so interchanged and reorganized that while at one time it may function as an ordinary flat press, it may also act selectively as a printing press of the direct roller-inked type; as a press for printing matter through an inked ribbon in simulation of typewriting or in another reorganization of its parts as a book binding press. f a

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof proceeds. j

In the drawings in which the same characters of reference are used to denote similar parts in the several views,

Fig. l is a perspective view of the press assembled so as to print simulated typewritten text.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view in detail showing the paper holding and relief mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the ribbon feeding mechanism which is brought into requisition when the press is assembled .to print typewritten matter.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the type bed and paper holding mechanism.

F ig. 5 isa perspective view of the ink plate used in connection with the type bed shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 yis a perspective view of the subframe upon ,which the type bed travels.

Figs. 1 and 8 show in perspective modi-fied forms of an auxiliary frame used in connection with the upper press plate to form a sewing press.

Fig. 9 is an arrangement of certain of the press parts, shown in perspective, arranged .40 to constitute abook binding press.

Referring now in detail to the several gures, and first adverting to the assemblage shown in Fig. l the line mm represents the division rbetween two distinct parts of the press of which that shown to the right of said line will ilst be described. It consists of a platen p resting at the front and back upon cleats g and being hingedly secured to a base or Thu ,in ,certain adaptations of the press `to the end bar 111. table A at its forward side by means of hinges the platen together with the cleats g may be swung axially of its hinges to a position perpendicular to that shown inFig. l which perpendicular positionis shown in Fig. 9 and the use of which `will bel described in due course.

At the sides of the platen and resting freely upon the table A are standards 7c. These form guides for the movable part of the press and also supports for the beam a of the press which extends transversely between said standards adjacent the top and is securely fixed thereto in any suitable manner. A screw c extends through a threaded socket b at the middle of the press beam and enters a socket in the movable transverse member 7L to which i the upper press plate 0 is secured. The screw is retained in the socket of the movable member h by means of a retaining collar e.

'The Lipper press platea is suitably and detachably secured to the member h by means of a fiat bar 7 extending transversely of the upper press plate on its top side and having bolts projecting through apertures in the ymovable member 71. and fixed by nuts ai. The

movable member It is formed with hollow cylindrical extremities which cooperate slidably with the standards The screw is op erated by a handle (l. Since in certainadaptations of the press the upper press plate 0 will be inverted, it is provided'on its upper surface with feet t arranged so as to afford a three point base of support when the upper press plate is inverted.

Beneath the platen p the standards 7L are connected by a fixed transverse member a2y to which the platen is detachably secured by means of a flat bar r2 secured to the underside of said platen in the middle and from which bolts project downwardly through registering apertures in the member a2. The underside of the platen is provided near its rearward end with a similar bar r1 from which similarbolts extend so that in certain relative positions of the parts the standards together with the member a2 .may be disconnected from the `central bar r? and connected pairof auxiliary legs .1/ is y .pivotally attached tothe lstandards 7L adjacent their upper ends which may support said standards and their appurtenant parts in those arrangements of the press in which the lower ends ot the standards do not rest upon the table A.

In the ordinary operation of the press in so :tar as it has been described and as it is shown in Fig. 1 it is similar to an ordinary letter press the upper press plate being arranged to come down compressively upon any object placed upon the platen p.

7When it is desired to use the fiat press as a book binding press as shown in Fig. 9, the platen y) is swung aXially ot its hinges through an angle ot carrying with it the standards and t-heir associated parts which then entend horizontally. The standards andthe lower transverse member a2 are then disconnected from the central bar r2 of the platen, and connected to the similar bar r1 adjacent the rearward end of the platen which end is now at the top. The auxiliary legs are yswung at an angle of 90 so as to extend perpendicularly downward andato rest upon a suitable support which is here represented as an extension B oi the table A. The legs are held rigidly in this position by tightening the nuts e. Preterably the upper press plate is also removed leaving only the bar r between which and the platen the leaves of the books to be bound may be compressed by extending vertically.

his arrangement of the press is shown in When it is desired to use the press 'as a printing press o the roller-inked type the flat press is used in the position shown in Fig. l, the unit shown to the left of the line ma being brought up against it and secured thereto by means of bolts b2 extending from one unit through suitable apertures in the other unit and removably affixed thereto by means of wing nuts 1. The second unit comprises a frame al of suitable construction which in itself is not material to the invention upon which parallel guides 01 are arranged leading toward the platen p. In these guides, which may be of any suitable construction is placed the subframe y2 carrying anti-friction bearings u2 adapted to run along the guides. The type bed c1 is placed upon the subframe y2 and rendered movable therewith in a longitudinal direction by means of studs e2 formed on opposite sides of the subframe which pro ject into apertures e", formed in the side member 3 of the type bed. rThese side mems bers extend over the longitudinal members oi the subframe and beyond the sides of the type hed.y the latter fitting down within the space between the sides of the subframe. The un der sides of the side members b3 are formed with apertures 03 into which extend pins to2 arising from the subframe, said pins being surrounded by springs m2 which afford a cushion support for the type bed.v In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings the upper ends of the apertures 0 are closed by plates c3 set into the side members 3. It is obvious that these plates are not an essential feature of the invention. The type bed is adapted to carry a chase z2 allocated by suitable clips a3 and suitable quoins am, the means for supporting and allocating the chase being, or" course, immaterial and optional with the user of the press. The composition 7 is set in the chase by means of the usual :turniture.

At the forward end oi the type bed is the paper handling mechanism, shown in detail in 2 comprising a bar L secured to said type bed and supporting a rod a on which are mounted two wire trames t and y. Across the iframe t is stretched a tabric sheet u upon which is suitably mounted a card e having the usual locating pins 82 tor holding the card or paper on which the proof is printed. The trame is provided with handles w and a" by which it may be manually raised or lowered upon the type. The trame y is the relieving trame. It has cross wires /H against which the sheets oitpaper to be printed rest and it is providedwith springs e tor automatically raising it to an upright position when the trame t is raised, thus lifting the printed sheets 'from the type and holding them in a substantially vertical position permitting their easy removal from the press. It may be sometimes desired to hold the trames t and y down to the type in the preliminary making ready of the press, for which purpose a pivot pin cl3 is ailiXed to one of the side members 3 of the type bed and adapted to project over said trames when they are in horizontal position.

A plate e spreading surface f.

is provided having an ink This plate has end tenons o adapted to fit in slots es opening on'`r` the inner sides of the side members b3 at the rear of the type bed, the plate e snugly htting between said side members. The plate e is provided with an operating handle g by means of which the entire type bed together with a subtrame y may bereciprocated back and forth on the guides d being alternately moved between the platen and upper press plate of the flat press and beneath the inlring rollers the arrangement oiE which will now be l described. p p

rllhe support for the inking rollers as shown comprises a third unit C ot the press which is brought 'up against the second unit and it may be secured thereto it' desired. Thejv roller support comprises end pieces 0 having pairs oi shallow slots alternating with pairs et deeper slots. The end pieces o" and the depth of the slots are so ordered that when the rollers t are in the deeper slotsthey make'f contact with the inling surface f in a orward' position of the type bed and maire contact with the printing surface of the type in a backward position ot' the type bed. Thus by pushing the type bed rearward and then for- Wai-diy through its' full rangeot movement the rollers t irst pick up ink from the inking surface ff? then spreadiit yupon the type after which the type is moved forwardly beneath the tlat press, the pal er holding mechanism being meanwhile turned down upon the type by contact of said mechanism with the rearward edge of the upper plate o the Hat press. B3, i slight turn oit'tlie'screu' c the paper/is prin d at'ter which the screw is slightly backed oii and the type bed pulled back. Upon emergence ofthe paper holding mechanism troni beneath the upper press plate r0, the trames t and f/ are thrown to the position shoujn in Fig. d through the action ot the springs e. The printed sheet is then removed. The position ot the type bed when beneath the :tlat'press is definitely determined by ineans ot lugs el extending 'from the sides ot theside members Z13 and making contact with the standards 7L in the tull forward position oi' the type bed. Since in distributingthe inlr itis lgenerally desirable to dranT the type bed backi'vardly to a point beyond the roller t, extension guides CZ provided at the rearward side of the press.

Vhen it is desired to print through a ribbon, for the purpose of simulating typewritten matter the printing rollers are rendered inoperative by placing them in the shallow slots. This raises them above the level both ci' the inlring surface f and the surface et the types so that they no longer function. ln auxiliary ribbon holding and feeding device is novi brought into play Which is shown in detail in Fig. 3. lt consists ot a trame z' having side members .75 the ends ot Which project as shown at f3. lThis trarne is set down over the type, the projectino` ends f3 being received by retaining loops j lined to the type bed. Between the side members 7c ot the ribbon holding,` Jrarne are rollers e" upon which the ribbon j is alternately Wound and unwound. Between the rollers, the ril bon y" stretches above the type. lt is normally kept from touching the type by means of a rectangular Wire support 7c maintained by springs Z in an upward position higher than the plane oit the printing surface ot the type. When the pressure of the printing plate 0 cornes upon the ribbon the support lie depressed Iagainst the pressure ot' saidA springs bringing the ribbon into Contact with the type.

The ribbon is automatically Wound upon one or the other ot the rollers by' the tollowingr iustrumentalities :MA rod n is provided which normally lies horizontally and parallel with one ot the side members le ot the ribbon holding frame. This rod has hinged ends only one of which is lett extended at a time the other one being,r manually unfolded as shown in g of Fig. 3 to render the said end inoperative. The other hinged end acts as a pawi. The rollers are provided with ratchet i Wheels m in the path of Whichever of the ends of the rods n" may be extended. The said rod .is mounted tor vertical reciproca` tion upon studs o and it is normally held in an upper position by means ot a spring p. The -tip-turned end oi' the'rod m is above the plane o1E the type surface so` that when the press plate oV coincs down toward the type it first contacts with the upfolded end Q dejpressing the` rod m. This ,causes the payvlv 'formed by the extended hinged end `of the rod n to ride over one or more of the ,teeth of the ratchet Wheel which it engages. `W hen the printing of a sheet has been completed and the upper press plate is Withdrawn the rod rises under the expansion oi the spring 22 and the extended end being rigid in this direction acts as an advancingv paWl to rotate its associated ratchet Wheel m thus4 Winding` the ribbon vupon the associated roller. When all oat the ribbon has been Wound upon this roller the operator of the lpress ,extends the previously folded end g and folds the end-that previously has been (intended thus reversing the direction of the Winding operation.

Printing in this instanceis carried on as before, the type bed with a ribbon holding :trame being advanced beneath the flatpress as tar as lugs -s Will permit and printing pressure then beingsr applied by means of the screw CZ. lt Will be noted that the handlev g is bent so as to return upon itself` forming aloop .which extends over the rollers, bringing' the end of thehandle into such proxlm ity to the handle cl-that both lhandles can be conveniently handled by a person standing at the side ot the press. A paper holder 2 is shown, the supplying ot this feature beinga matter ot convenience but not materially affecting the invention.

It is frequently round convenient to use the upper press plate as the base o'a sewing,` press. For this purpose, it is dismantled from the press structure and inverted7 resting; upon the sheet t, shown in lil-ig. 8. Aute iliary standards p are then provided connected at their top being` transverse bar r llO abovethe slots s in said press plate. Afi'urther inodiicagtion of this construction is shown in Fig. 7 in which the transverse cross piece fr is adjustable tor height along screw threaded portions ott-he standards,- the height of said cross member being determined by the position of the nuts a.

l W'hilc l have in the above description disclosed Whatl believe to be a preferred and practical embodiment ot my invention it is obvious that numerous departures troni .the specilic details as shovvn inay be made Without departing from thespirit of the invention as defined lin the' appendedclaims.V

llavinq thus described 'in v iDYQ-Ilfilli What l claim as new and desire 'to secure by Let ters Jlatent is :e-

l. A combined binding and printing press including in combination, a support, printing mechanism, a platen, thelatter being hingedly carried by said support and having its :tree end normally adjacent to, and detachvably secured to said printing mechanism, a press frame operatively associated with said platen, including standards and a transverse member slidable thereupon, a screw operated press plate detachably secured to said transverse member and cooperating therewith, said platen being swingable to a position at an angular distance of 90 to its normal printing position, said press trame being likewise swingable, means for detachably securing said press frame to the free edge of said platen when the latter is disengaged from said printing mechanism to permit said platen l and press frame to be swung to their relative right-angular position with respect to their normal positions, said platen then serving as a support for said press frame in its new position, and auxiliary standards carried by said press frame for assisting in supporting the latter.

2. A combined binding andprinting press including in combination, a support, printing mechanism, a platen, the latter being hingedly carried by said support and having its tree end normally adjacent to, and detachably secured to said printing mechanism, a press frame operatively associated lwith said platen, including standards and ffl a transverse member slidable thereupon, a screw operated press plate detachably secured to said transverse member and cooperating therewith, said platen being swingable to a position at an angular distance of 90 to its normal printing position, said press frame being likewise swingable, means for detachably securing said press frame to the free edge of said platen whenthe latter is disengaged from said printing mechanism to permit said platen and press frame to be swung to their relative right-angular position with respect to their normal positions, said platen then serving as a support for said press trame in its new position, and auxiliary standards carried by said press frame for assisting in supporting the latter,

- said auxiliary supporting means being swingangular distance of 90 toits normal print-l ing position, said press frame being likewise swingable, means for detachably securing said Vpress frame to the free edge of said platen when the latter is disengaged from said printing mechanism to permit said platen and press frame to be swung to their relative rightangular position with respect to their normal positions, said platen then serving as a support for said press frame in its new position, and auxiliary standards carried by said press frame for assisting in supporting the latter, said transverse member being adapted to cooperate directly with said platen, in pressing relation thereto, upon removal ot said press plate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

DAMIEN MEREDIEU. 

